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“Nothing,” Barney says. The devious smile on his face says something else entirely.
I sigh and rest my hip against the counter and wait. It doesn’t take long. There’s a shout from the restroom before Pops comes rushing down the hallway. His face is red and there’s sweat on his brow.
“Can you cover for me, Hailey? I need to go to the hospital.”
He opens the drawer to grab his wallet. When he turns around and notices the uncles, he freezes. The uncles aren’t giving anything away, but Pops knows them too well. He slams the drawer shut. “You fuckers. What did you put in my coke?”
Barney bends over laughing while Sid and Lenny shrug as if they have no clue what he’s talking about. The smirks on their faces make liars of them.
“You should have never messed with my burger,” Wally announces and then does an about-face and walks to our table.
Pops stares at Wally’s retreating figure, and I can see the wheels spinning in his head already.
“Let’s get this party started,” Suzie shouts as she skips to the table. She doesn’t look where she’s going. Of course not. Why would she start now? She runs into a table, bounces off it, and lands on a customer’s lap.
“Well, hello, beautiful. Nice of you to drop in,” the man says with a wink.
Suzie screams and her legs pedal in the air. Aiden takes pity on her and walks over to help her up. “Come on, klutzy girl.”
“I’m not a klutz!” she shouts as she smooths down her top.
“I don’t mind klutzy,” the man she landed on announces.
“Don’t encourage her, Carl,” Pops shouts from behind the bar.
“But she’s cute,” he whines.
“And not interested in a beer-swilling barfly.”
Suzie stops and walks back to him. “What kind of beer do you prefer? Are there flavors you don’t like? Do you prefer an APA over an IPA?” She machine-guns questions at him.
I grab her hand. “Excuse us, Carl.”
“No problem, Babycakes.”
Aiden growls and pulls me behind him to face down Carl. “You don’t call her Babycakes.”
I move in front of him and use both hands to push his chest. He doesn’t budge, so I do it again. “You don’t get to decide who calls me Babycakes or not. I might find it sexy when you get all possessive in the bedroom, but possessive behavior needs to stay in the bedroom. You hear me?” I push him once again in case he didn’t get the drift.
Pops growls. “Too much information!”
Suzie shushes him. “You hush. I want all the deets.”
My face heats as I realize what I said. Aiden chuckles and throws an arm around me. “Message received,” he says before nuzzling my neck. “I like it when you get all growly,” he whispers.
“Get your asses over here, lovebirds. I’m starving,” Wally shouts and my stomach rumbles.
Aiden chuckles. “Are you sure Wally’s not your real father?”
I elbow him in the stomach before joining the others at the table. Pops walks over to take our orders. “A round of burger and fries.” He looks at Phoebe. “And what would you like, darling?”
Phoebe bites her lip. “Can I try a burger?”
I look at Suzie who widens her eyes. “Our baby girl is growing up,” she says with a hand over her heart.
I slap her hand. “Stop it. Don’t embarrass Phoebe.”
Phoebe clears her throat and straightens her back. “It’s okay. I can take it.”
